My 18 month old daughter has been reliably going #2 in the potty since around 8 months (aside from a brief pause when we traveled overseas--guess I was destined to learn to clean poopy diapers/bums). At one point she was mostly peeing in the toilet, but then walking happened and she lost interest. She's still not really into it, but does pee in the potty sometimes. At 18 months, she is quite verbal and will tell us at times before urinating. She knows that urine goes in the potty at least sometimes. (But our pee pee EC is mostly by timing.)

I feel like the diapers (prefolds) are really getting in the way, though. She's used to peeing in them, and since she started hating diaper changes, I've changed them less promptly than I used to.

Nakey bum does not seem to work for her. She pees and just moves on without being concerned. (Sometimes she'll point and say "pee pee.") When she pees in her underwear, she stops and notices, so I guess that is best.

I guess I've relied on diapers so much, though, that I'm kind of stressed about how to handle when she wets her pants in public. I've gotten lazy with EC (other than poop) since coming home from a long trip. She does poop in public restrooms, and we don't use wipes, so I've gone through the whole wiping/rinsing her in the sink thing (and cleaning the sink afterward!). It just seems so complicated, though, not to have the diaper to rely on as a backup, and having to change her clothes so much more often.

Also, should I explain to her what we are doing? Any thoughts on what phrases to use? She understands directions and words well, but I'm not sure how to explain. Also, in case it comes up, we don't do praise/punishment.)

Any words of wisdom would be so appreciated. Potty changes seem like such a big deal sometimes. Maybe the answer is just to take it one day at a time, but I wonder how consistent I need to be.

Mama to a bilingual (Arabic/English) and cuddly 3 year old, and planning another peaceful homebirth in June.